The reaction of organic halides with magnesium metal in the presence of oxygenated solvents such as dialkyl ethers to form reactive complexes typically referred to as Grignard reagents is well known. The production and reactions of Grignard reagents has been the subject of books and numerous review articles. Such reviews are provided, for example, in Coates, et al., ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUNDS, Vol. 1, pp. 76–103, (1967), Methuen and Co. Ltd, London, U.K.; and in Kirk/Othmer, ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY, Vol. 10, 721–734 (1966), The Interscience Encyclopedia, Inc., NY, N.Y. The structure of the Grignard reagent has not been determined with certainty, however it is generally believed that the Grignard reagent exists as a complex in solution and that solvent can play a critical role in such complex formation. The unpredictable effect of solvent on the formation and reactivity of Grignard reagents is discussed in the above cited review articles, and the inventors herein believe, but should not be held to such a theory, that the following reaction equations may be the actual mechanisms in the inventive process, wherein by way of example, phenyl chloride is used as the organic halide reactant:
            Phenyl      ⁢      Cl        +    Mg    →                    {                  Phenyl          ⁢          MgC1                }            ⁢                                                        ⁢                      ⟶                                                            aromatic                  ⁢                                                                          ⁢                  halogenated                                ⁢                                                                              solvent                                                MeSiCl          3                    ⁢                          ⁢      Phenylmethyldichlorosilane        ⁢                  +          MgCl      2      
It is also well known from the patent literature that phenyl magnesium chloride as a Grignard reagent can be prepared by reacting chlorobenzene with magnesium at reflux temperatures in the presence of a catalytic amount of a halide catalyst selected from the class consisting of carbon tetrachloride and silicon tetrachloride. Cf. U.S. Pat. No. 2,795,627 issued to Ramsden on Jun. 11, 1957. Also, Ramsden teaches, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,795,628, that also issued on Jun. 11, 1957, that phenylmagnesum chloride Grignard reagents can be prepared by reacting magnesium having an oxidized surface, with sulfur-free aromatic halogenated agents at reflux temperatures.
Finally, it is important to note that U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,120, that issued to Bank, et al, on Jan. 21, 1997 teaches the preparation of alkyl-containing organosilanes in a one-step process that comprises contacting magnesium metal with a mixture comprising an organic halide and a halosilane in a co-solvent comprising about one to 15 moles of a dialkyl ether and a mole of allyl chloride and about 0.05 to less than two moles of a liquid aromatic hydrocarbon solvent per mole of the dialkyl ether, at a temperature within a range of about 5° C. to 200° C., it being especially noted that the process is directed to toluene, xylene, and benzene as the hydrocarbon solvents.